When You Wish Upon A Star
by WyaRose
Summary: Paige falls terminally ill, and the sisters have to find a way to save her and deal with their emotions.
1. When it Rains, it Pours

"Oh come _on _Paige! You're telling me you didn't find that guy even the least bit attractive?"

Warm sunlight streamed through the windows of the kitchen, and the thick smell of freshly brewed coffee hung in the air.

Phoebe raised her eyebrows in anticipation of her younger sister's response. Even Piper let her eyes drift from her baby-food covered son's to Paige's.

Paige sighed and shifted uncomfortably in her seat.

"I never said I didn't think he was hot…He was."

Phoebe smiled victoriously and opened her mouth to speak, only to be silenced by Paige's voice.

"The problem is I don't have time for him right now – or anyone, for that matter. I've got enough to worry about, without the added stress of a new relationship."

It was true. Paige Matthews, the youngest of the Halliwell clan, certainly did have her work cut out for her. On top of being a full time witch (which she was still getting a handle on), Paige was now being, for all intensive purposes, forced into embracing her whitelighter half. It wasn't that she didn't want to be a whitelighter – she did; helping people was what got her up every morning – but she just wasn't ready to handle anything more at the moment. With the family falling apart on a daily basis, and her unquenchable desire to find her place in the mortal world, Paige certainly had enough to deal with. The fact that she got little to no sleep did not seem to help the situation, nor did the throbbing pain currently occupying her head.

Piper was also especially on edge that morning. Her marital problems were piling up on her, as were her professional ones.

"Paige you can't keep using magic as an excuse to run from a real life – sooner or later it's going to bite you in the ass."

Paige looked up as she heard a charge calling for her.

She raised her eyebrows at Phoebe and smirked. "Saved by the bell."

Paige began to stand, stopping when a hand gripped her wrist.

She looked at the owner of the hand, Piper, and was surprised to find the anger in her eyes.

"I think Phoebe's right Paige – It's time to stop running."

Paige stared at Piper for a moment, only to yank her wrist out of Piper's clasp moments later. "Piper, I don't have time for this. Someone needs my help."

Before either sister could protest, blue orbs surrounded the area Paige resided in just moments ago.

Neither sister expected that when the orbs cleared, their sister would be gripping at the table, hunched over and shaking.

Immediately, Phoebe jumped up from her seat and wrapped an arm protectively around Paige's shoulders.

"You okay, honey?" Phoebe asked with concern, looking to Paige, and then to Piper when Paige didn't respond. Phoebe's worry lines were not matched on her sister's face, however. The look etched into Piper's features was one of anger.

Paige collected herself and then stood up straight, releasing the death grip she had held on the table.

"Yeah…" She looked up at met the eyes of her sisters. "Yeah, I'm fine. I guess I just orbed out a bit too quick…" Paige laughed dryly, her eyebrows furrowed in pain.

"Maybe you should sit down," Phoebe said, guiding Paige to sit.

"Yeah…" Paige sat absent-mindedly, only to spring back up the moment she touched the chair. "No, wait, my charge. I have to go." Blue orbs began to form once again.

Piper stood abruptly and yanked Paige's hand, causing the orbs to disappear. "Oh no you don't missy."

"What don't you guys understand about 'have to go?'"

"I think it's the 'have to' and the 'go' part that's throwing us," Piper responded humorlessly.

Paige rolled her eyes and began to orb out again, only to be stopped once more by Piper.

"Just what the hell do you think you're doing? I know you've made some dumb decisions, Paige, but honestly – could you at least _pretend_ to think before you act?"

Paige stepped back, thrown and hurt by Piper's words.

Phoebe, also dumbfounded by her sister's seemingly random outburst, looked at Piper in confusion. "Piper, that's a little…."

"No Phoebe!" Piper cried angrily. "I'm sick of this. For the past four years, all Paige has done is bitch and moan about how she never has enough time to do anything she wants, and yet she never makes an effort to do any of those things."

Paige looked back and forth between Piper and Phoebe, trying to figure out what was going on.

"Piper I….."

Piper held up her hand, silencing Paige. "Paige I don't want to hear it."

Paige's look of confusion greatened. "Piper, I don't understand what's going on here."

Paige looked to Piper expecting an explanation, but continued when she didn't get one.

"All I've ever done is try and please you guys. It hasn't exactly been a carnival ride for me either. Do you know what it's like to try and fill Prue's shoes?"

At that, Piper looked up, anger radiating off her body.

"You'll never fill Prue's shoes, Paige, so stop trying."

Piper breathed heavily, still staring at Paige, though the breath had left the two other sisters still bodies.

They stood there for what felt like hours; Piper staring at Paige, Paige staring at Piper, and Phoebe looking between the two sisters. The thick silence was cut by a small whimper from Paige, who clumsily backed out of the room, breaking eye contact with Piper, and ran upstairs, her charge now forgotten.

Both sisters' eyes followed Paige out of the room. When Piper moved back to feed Chris, Phoebe jumped into action.

"Piper…!" Phoebe looked to Piper in awe.

"What Phoebe! It's about time she heard that. She's going to get herself killed if she doesn't slow down soon."

Phoebe shook her head, still stunned by Piper's words.

Piper looked down at the baby food she was holding in her hands, and abruptly, her angered face melted into an agonized one. Pools of tears quickly formed in her eyes, and she shook her head, struggling to hold them back.

Understanding at once, Phoebe moved to Piper and knelt before her. She took the baby food she was holding and placed it on the table, then took Piper's hands in her own.

"I don't know why….I just….When she mentioned Prue…." Piper shook her head, unable to say anymore.

Phoebe nodded solemnly, and then pulled Piper into a hug.

"I know sweetie…." Pause "Have you been to the cemetery yet?"

Piper shook her head into Phoebe's neck.

They held the embrace for a few minutes, only breaking it when Phoebe pulled away.

"But, Piper…"

Piper swallowed hard, slowing the flow of tears pouring down her cheeks.

"I know. I'll go apologize now." She wiped her face clean. "Will you take Chris and go check on Wyatt?"

"Of course, honey." Phoebe picked up Chris, mumbling incoherent baby words as she carried him out of the room.

Piper stood and smoothed out her shirt and took a deep breath, composing herself and preparing to walk out.

Before she could move, however, she heard a series of loud banging coming from upstairs.


	2. When Shit Hits the Fan

_Thanks so much to everyone who read and reviewed! This part is told from Paige's POV right after Piper snapped at her. Enjoy, and keep the reviews coming!_

Paige felt like all the air had been knocked out of her. She stood staring at Piper, trying to make sense of what had just happened.

For a few minutes, she felt numb. The world froze, and the only sound Paige heard was her heart thumping in her ears.

As the words sunk in, the pain did as well. It moved like water; starting in the pit of her stomach and trickling through her veins until the pain lit every cell in her body. Every fear and every insecurity she had developed since meeting her sisters seemed to come at her in full blast.

Unintentionally, Paige let out a small whimper. Determined to keep her sisters from seeing her vulnerable, and unable to face Piper any longer, she turned and ran from the room, keeping her head bowed to the floor.

She stopped when she reached the stairs, and grasped on to the banister for support.

Her eyebrows furrowing in confusion, Paige was unable to hold back her tears any longer, and let out a loud, wet sob. She looked around the room frantically, as if expecting an explanation to pop out, and burrowed her face in her hands when none came.

The tears were flowing freely, now, and Paige was helpless to stop them. She tried to take some calming breaths, but only succeeded in making more noise. Unsteadily, Paige started climbing the stairs, the wet tears making her headache and sore throat more pronounced than before.

By the time she reached the top of the stairs, she was short of breath. She stopped walking and swallowed around the lump in her throat. She tried to sort through the jumbled mess that was her mind. Nothing made sense. The only certainty Paige was holding onto was the pain. Millions of questions swam through her mind, each bleeding into the other.

Her vision began to blur, and she blinked rapidly. She knew she should move - get off the stairs - but her legs didn't seem to obey the commands of her mind. Her uneven breathing was quickly becoming shallow, and the room was starting to spin.

Paige managed to get out a weak, "Oh crap."

Then all went black.


	3. When Lightening Strikes

Piper looked up, eyes wide with fear. Cursed with the older-sister syndrome, Piper had always been overly paranoid, to say the least.

"Paige?" She tried to call out for her youngest sister, but her voice came out weak and ragged, revealing the fear she was trying desperately to suppress. She swallowed hard and tried to ignore the butterfly's flapping persistently in her stomach.

She walked forward slowly. "Paige?" Her voice was stronger this time, and it worried her even more when she got no response. Piper could tell something was wrong – call it a sixth sense or a spiritual connection – she always knew when the storm was about to rage.

She moved forward a little quicker, turning the corner to the entrance hall.

Piper froze. Every cell in her body stilled as she laid eyes on the sight in front of her.

She let out a sharp breath, her voice hushed. "Oh G-d."

She moved to her sister quickly, the butterflies that were in her stomach replaced with what comes when your greatest fears are confirmed – pain.

She knelt down beside Paige's still form. Piper's hands moved rapidly in the air above Paige, unsure where to touch her.

"Paige…Paige!" She began slapping Paige lightly with the back of her palm, trying to rouse her. After contacting Paige's flushed skin a few times, Piper_ knew _something else was wrong. With a shaky hand, Piper slowly put her palm over Paige's head. She pursed her lips once her flesh made contact.

"Damn it!" Pause "Paige! Paige come on!" Piper was shaking Paige violently now, her fear of hurting her replaced by one of need – need to see Paige show some sign of life.

As if coming out of a fog, Piper lifted her head and looked back into the room she had entered.

"Phoebe." Her voice came out a whisper. "PHOEBE!"

Sure she had captured Phoebe's attention, Piper turned back to Paige. Terrified, Piper moved her shaking hands to Paige's neck.

Nothing.

Piper jammed her fingers into Paige's flesh, desperately searching for a pulse.

THUMP………..THUMP…………THUMP

It was faint, but it was there, meaning Piper hadn't lost another sister – not yet, anyway.

Next, she lowered her body to Paige's, leaving her ear over her mouth.

"Damn it, Paige!" Piper shouted, oblivious to the tears now pouring down her cheeks. She started CPR immediately, not stopping when Phoebe rushed into the room.

"1, 2, 3, 4…"

"Piper what's……" Phoebe's free hand flew to her mouth, and the other unconsciously tightened around her nephew's waist. He cried out in pain, and Phoebe quickly released her tight hold. She speedily but carefully put baby Chris in playpen, then moved to where Piper was pumping air into Paige's unmoving chest.

"Piper, what the hell happened?" Phoebe asked huskily, kneeling beside Paige and absently taking her hand while running her eyes all over her motionless body.

Piper pinched Paige's nose and blew into her mouth, then sat back up and continued the ministrations. "1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6"

Phoebe looked on in fear, feeling more helpless and useless than ever.

After another rescue breath, Piper clamped her eyes shut and pulled back, burying her face in her hands and letting out a pain-filled moan.

Phoebe stared at Paige, her mind unable to comprehend what was going on. After a few seconds, Phoebe noticed something, and grabbed Piper's shaking shoulder without moving her eyes. "Piper, look."

Piper hesitiantly removed her hands and followed Phoebe's gaze to Paige's chest, which was moving up and down. The movement was short and shallow, but there nonetheless.

"Oh thank G-d," Piper said with a tear-filled voice, snapping back into action. She spoke to Phoebe, not taking her eyes off of Paige. "Phoebe, go call for an ambulance." Phoebe sat, unmoving, and Piper looked up. "Phoebe, NOW!"

Piper's command finally registered and Phoebe shot up, running for a phone.

Piper remained knelt at Paige's side, stroking her hair.

"Just hang on a minute Paige…Just hold on…."

Phoebe scurried back into the room and back to Paige's side. "They should be here any second." She let her eyes hang on Paige for a moment, and then looked up at Piper. "Piper, what happened?"

Piper's voice was eerily monotone when she spoke. "I think she fell down the stairs. I heard some banging coming from over here, and when I came in, she was…." Piper looked up at Paige, her eyes once again filled with tears. "She's burning up, Phoebe."

Phoebe pursed her lips and bowed her head, avoiding Piper's pained eyes and focusing instead on Paige.

Seconds later, a loud knocking at the door alerted the sister's to the medic's presence, and Phoebe rushed up to let them in.

"She's over there," she said breathlessly, though the medics had already started moving in Paige's direction.

"Ma'am…" One medic said, signaling Piper to move from Paige's side. Dazed, Piper did as they said and let herself lean against the hard banister.

She heard a medic mumbling words to the others, but none made any sense to her. The next thing she new, Paige was being lifted onto a stretcher and off of the floor. Piper followed Paige as she was whisked out the door, and then let her eyes fall back to the place Paige had resided in moments ago.

Her eyes locked in on the puddle of red scarring the hard wood floor. Her breathing stopped immediately, and she timidly lifted her hand and lowered her gaze.

Piper felt the bile rise in her throat as she saw the crimson red stained on her hand.

Abruptly, Piper jumped off the floor, her eyes wide, and looked at Phoebe who was moving out of the way to let the medics through.

"She's bleeding."

Her voice was soft, but Phoebe heard Piper well enough.

"She's what?"

Piper cleared her throat and spoke again, her voice unsteady. "Her head…it's bleeding."

The medics stopped moving momentarily, and looked back at Piper, before moving forward again, shouting more commands into radios they held in their hands.

The medic that was talking into the radio turned to Phoebe and Piper. "You coming?" His voice was cold and professional.

Piper began pacing. "Yeah, we're….Jackets…" Her eyes lit up and her head snapped in Phoebe's directions. "The boys."

Phoebe nodded in understanding. "I'll go with Paige. Get the boys and meet us there."

Piper nodded and looked down, once again trying to slow the river of tears pouring down her cheeks.

The next thing she new, she was engulfed in Phoebe's warm embrace. "She'll be fine," Phoebe whispered unconvincingly in Piper's ear. Piper nodded into Phoebe's shoulder, not even bothering to fight the onslaught of tears Phoebe's words had brought.

"Ma'am, we have to leave now," the medic said forcefully.

The sisters pulled away from each other, holding on for an extra second and looking at the other before letting go completely.

"You okay to drive?"

"I'll be fine…Go." Phoebe didn't move. "Go, I'm fine."

Phoebe gave Piper an affectionate squeeze on her upper arm, and then ran out the door, the medic following closely behind her hand slamming the door shut.

Piper stood unmoving in the middle of the once chaotic entrance hall, Chris's soft gurgling and Piper's forced blinking the only evidence of life in the silent room.


	4. When All is Said and Done

Piper walked into the hospital, completely oblivious to her surroundings. She stopped walking and stood in the middle of the chaotic room, looking lost and out of place. She received dirty looks from the people who moved around her as she obstructed their paths, but either didn't notice or didn't care. Luckily, Phoebe spotted her before she could do any really damage.

She called to her from her seat. "Piper!"

Piper looked in the direction of where the voice originated and settled her gaze on Phoebe, though her eyes were dazed and unfocused. She made no effort to move, so Phoebe stood from her chair and walked to Piper.

When she got up to her, she pulled her into a tight hug. Piper didn't return the hug, but left her arms hanging limply at her sides.

Noticing this, Phoebe pulled away and looked at her sister. Again, Piper didn't respond to the connection and remained in a world of her own.

As if coming out of a daze herself, Phoebe released Piper completely and frantically looked at the area around Piper.

"Piper, where are the boys?"

This seemed to register with Piper, as her gaze lifted from the floor to meet Phoebe's.

"Leo…I called Leo…"

Phoebe nodded weakly, and the two sisters remained motionless and silent. After a few moments of this, Piper pursed her lips and squeezed her eyes shut painfully.

Phoebe understood her sisters expression and gently guided her to the waiting room. Piper and Phoebe sat silently, Piper's eyes still closed, and Phoebe's red from tears.

"They won't tell me what's going on…" Phoebe said anxiously. Her eyes darted to the nurse behind the counter. She was talking to a man, and he was visibly growing more agitated by the second, as Phoebe had just minutes before. She felt no compassion for the nurse as she watched the man berate her – admittedly, she found it satisfying. Logically, Phoebe knew the nurse was not at fault, but logical thinking flew out the window the minute she saw her motionless baby sister at the base of the stairs.

Piper nodded, keeping her eyes closed. She opened her mouth to speak, but thought better of it and closer her mouth again. Once she collected her thoughts, she opened her mouth to speak again and was pleased that her voice came out calm and controlled.

"I…hate this."

At this, Phoebe let out a wet sob and a dry laugh.

Piper opened her eyes a little and looked at Phoebe. Once the contact was made, both sisters began laughing loudly, though the laughter was tainted by tears, and soon, the laughter was gone and only the tears remained.

Neither sister knew how long they sat there, holding the other's hand and squirming uncomfortably in the hard hospital chairs. Eventually, their tears became silent, and soon enough, they stopped all together, though their destructive residue remained on the girls' faces.

Everywhere around them people were moving – some were screaming and some were crying, some looked like they were coming and some looked like they were going, some were eating and some were pacing – the sister's noticed nothing. Time, noise, touch, smell, and sight all became irrelevant, each dripping away like misplaced icicles. The sister's were still. The sister's were quiet. The sister's sat hand in hand. The sister's did nothing. The sister's did something. The sister's waited. Waited. Waited.


	5. When Push Comes to Shove

A/N: First, I'd like to apologize for how long it's taken to get this chapter up. I just started my summer job and I'm babysitting 24/7 so everything's been kind of hectic. Secondly, I would like to apologize for the suckiness of this chapter. I wrote the whole thing, and was actually rather happy with it, but somehow I ended up loosing 2/3's of it and had to re-write it, which is one of the hardest things for me, because I don't remember ANYTHING I write after I finish. Anyway, here it is. Hope you guys aren't too disappointed. I'll try and update again really soon. Please keep the amazing comments coming - They're the only reason I re-wrote this chapter immediately after it got deleted! Enjoy!

Both sisters were living inside their minds, completely numb to the outside world. Niether noticed the other's finger nails digging into their soft flesh, and neither noticed the presence of a petite, brown-haired woman as she entered the chatoic waiting room.

The doctor spotted the sister's immediately, and quickly made her way over to where they were seated. Only when she stood directly in front of them did they seem to come out of their daze.

Phoebe was the first time speak.

"Ava?" She detatched herself from Piper as she spoke. Both sisters turned their attention to the doctor.

Ava smiled quickly and weakly. "Phoebe, Piper, hi."

The three stood awkwardly for a moment. Ava had recognized Paige the moment she was brought into the ER. Had Paige not needed immediate attention, Ava would have requested another doctor take her place. She wanted to be there for the sister's she had lost touch with, but operating on someone you know is always more difficult; when a patient is brought in, Ava was able to detatch herself so she could operate objectively - having a relationship with the person brought her down to reality...She was resonspible for the life or death of her friend.

Phoebe and Piper wanted news of their sister, and hardly noticed the irony of the situation. Under normal circumstances, they would have been thrilled and comforted by the fact that they personally knew their doctor, but both were too anxious to make anything of it.

"You're Paige's doctor." Piper's looked Ava in the eyes, knowing the answer but trying to subtly prompt Ava to tell them something.

Ava nodded slowly. "Yes." She paused. This was always the hardest part. Knowing how close the three sister's were didn't make the situation and easier. Ava bit her lip nervously. "We've stabalized her for now." Pause. "Her head-wound wasn't the only damage caused by the fall..." Pause. "Her appendix burst, meaning she probably had a mild case of appendicitis prior to the fall. It was already inflammed, so the contact was too much..." She looked at the sisters whose faces were contorted in pain. "She's showing signs of peritonitis, now, so we've started her on antibiotics..."

Piper cut her off before she could contine. "Paige is allergic to penicillin."

Ava smiled sympathetically at Piper. "Don't worry, that's in her charts...We're using a form of combination therapy...We're mixing Aztreonam with Metronidazole - Both very strong antibioctics..They should do the trick." Ava threw out big words she knew they couldn't understand. It was a trick she had picked up during her internship; even if the patients have no idea what you're talking about, using medical terms always made them feel safer, as though it proved the doctor knew what he/her was doing and was in control. "She broke her right arm, meaning we'll have to watch out for any internal bleeding that could occur."

Piper nodded absently as Ava prepared to continue.

"What's concerning is her temperature. Generally, appendicitis patient's don't rise above 102 degrees, and even that's unlikely. Paige's temperature is 104..." She felt a pang of guilt run through her as she saw the girl's squeeze their eyes shut, as if trying to block out the word's they were hearing. "..which suggests there's another illness running through her system. I sent a blood-culture to be analyzed, so we should figure that out soon."

Ava figeted and swallowed hard, knowing the information she had given the sister's thus far was difficult but not nearly as damaging as the informormation she was about to deliver.

"Paige slipped into a coma while we were operating." She continued speaking at an alarming pace, trying to get through the information without having to look at the sisters. "Factoring in the head trauma, the illnesses, and the other injuries, a coma is actually better than expected. The next 48 hours will be critical. If we can keep her stabalized, bring down her temperature, and starve off the peritonitis, she should be able to make a full recovery...But if she doesn't wake up in the next two days..." Ava looked away, hating herself for what she was saying. "...she most likely never will."

Ava hesitantly turned back to look at the girls, and regretted it the moment their eyes made contact. She watched as the small glimmer of hope that had previosly resided on their faces melt away, leaving only pain and fear.

"We won't know if there's brain damage until she's awake, but the longer she's unconcious, the more likely it is that she will."

Phoebe felt as the ounce of control she had been desperately clinging on to evaporated into thin air. She bowed her head and pursed her lips, allowing the hot tears pour from her eyes and down her cheeks and neck.

Piper let the words wash over her. She had only been able to catch a few words, like coma and critical, but they stuck in her mind, playing over and over until she was snapped out of her numbness. Her mind frantically tried to comprehend what Ava's words meant, but there was only one thing she could really concentrate on. In her irrational state, Piper thought if she could get to Paige, she could make it all better.

Ava watched as different emotions played on the sisters faces. She felt herself transforming from the professional doctor to the concerned friend.

When she spoke again, her voice was quite and warm, the cold professionalism no longer present. "I'm so sorry. I'm doing everything I can."

For the next few minutes, all three were quiet. It was Piper's panicked voice that cut through the silence.

"Wha...I mean...Is she...Can we..."

Piper looked at Ava desperately, praying she would understand what she was trying to say.

Ava nodded as she spoke. "She's in recovery right now, but if she stays stabalizied for the next 12 hours, we'll move her to the ICU. I can take you to her now if you'd like."

Piper stood abruptly, shocking even herself with her responsiveness.

Ava led the way with an axious Piper at her heels and a hopeless Phoebe lagging slowly behind. When they came to Paige's door, Ava paused and blocked the entrance. Piper, whose only goal was to see Paige, seemed angered by Ava's action. Ava understood the urgency Piper was feeling so she spoke quickly.

"You may be startled by all the machines, but keep in mind they're just there to help."

Piper nodded vigourously, and pushed past Ava as she swung the door open. As soon as she stepped in the room, though, she froze. Even if she had tried to prepare herself for the sight that greeted her, she would have been unsuccessful.

In front of her was a small, white room, and in the center stood a small, white bed, in which her sister lay, unmoving.

Phoebe and Piper had once agreed Paige's skin was lighter than any other living creature, but it now was so close to transparent that she looked paler than ghosts the sister's had seen. Tubes and wires stuck awkwardly out of her white flesh, and a larger tube stuck awkwardly out of Paige's mouth, forcing air into her lungs. The only sound present in the room was the whir of the respirator and the slow but steady beeping of the heart and brain-activiy monitor located next to Paige's bed. The harsh flourescent lights prounced each bruise forming on Paige's frail body.

Both sister's stood still for a few moments. Piper moved first. She ran over to Paige and sank into the chair next to the bed. She took Paige's cold hand in hers, and comfortingly traced circles on the back of her palm. She tried to send all her remaining strength into Paige, but nothing happened. She tried willing Paige to wake up telepathically, hoping their siserly connection was present even in Paige's unconcious state. But nothing happened. Paige remained motionless, the only sign of life the rise and fall of her chest as the machine worked to pump air in and out. Piper realized she was completely helpless, and if there was one thing she hated, it was helplessness.

Phoebe reached the bedside moments later, though each step she took seemed forced and awkward. She loomed over Paige, staring in her lifeless face. Had it not been for the evasive tube sticking out of Paige's mouth, she would have looked peaceful - like she was sleeping soundly in her room at the manor.

Niether sister noticed when Ava closed the door to the room, giving them the time and privacy she assumed they wanted.

They remained by Paige's side in silence, the amount of time that had passed unknown to either - The blinds were shut, blocking out the endless sky and the lively streets of San Fransisco. The quiet wasn't awkward, but it become painful when both sisters individually noted that Paige was normally the one who cut through the silence.

Once again, the sisters were left waiting. Piper was antsy and anxious by nature, and Phoebe had been impatient since birth. Fighting demons was far from fun, but the choices were always black and white - the things they fought or the people they saved were always good or bad - their was rarely a grey, rarely an inbetween. No choices were clear to them now. They both felt the need to do something - a desperate urgency to figure out what was going on and vanquish the demon - but their was nothing left up to the imagination and there was no demon to slay. Looking at Paige, Piper and Phoebe felt an unease they hadn't experienced since Prue's death, but niether of them could look away. It was as if taking their eyes off her would mean never being able to look back again, and niether sister was prepared for that.

They had been given Paige's diagnosis. They had been told what would happen and what could happen.

And still, the only thing that was certain was that nothing was certain anymore.


	6. When Words Fail

A/N: I know this took a while, but I've been in this one week film course at the New York Film Academy and have been there everyday from 7am-8pm atleast. I'm doing another program next week that's a little more relaxed so I should have more time to write. I apologize for the wait, and I REALLY apologize for the suckiness of this chapter. I would really rather not post it, but I feel like I've kept everyone hanging for too long. I promise the next chapter will be better. Again, I apologize. Thanks to everyone who has been reading and reviewing.

Piper and Phoebe sat by Paige's side in silence, each eagerly awaiting the result's of Paige's lab work. Phoebe was the one to break the silence.

"I think we should go."

The words caught a dazed Piper's attention.

"Phoebe, we can't-"

Phoebe cut Piper off before she could finish. "I don't want to either, Piper, but I think we'll both regret it if we don't...Paige wouldn't want us not to go."

Piper continued to look at Phoebe as if she had a second head. "Phoebe, Prue...Prue is dead," Piper stumbled over the words, but found her voice and contiued, "She's dead...But Paige...We need to be here with Paige right now."

"Piper..."

Piper shook her head and looked down, sheilding her tear filled eyes behind her long, brown hair. When she spoke again, her voice was filled with pain and tears.

"Why...why today?"

Phoebe pursed her lips and set Paige's cold hand down on the bed, reaching across her to take Piper's hands. She knew what Piper was thinking, and knowing she was sitting there in pain hurt Phoebe terribly.

"Honey, it wasn't your fault."

Again, Piper looked down and shook her head. "It was...it was. Just..I never know how to handle this day, it's always...but that's no excuse, I shouldn't have flipped at Paige..I didn't mean any of the things I said."

Piper seemed to have forgotten Phoebe was there, and was arguing with herself. Seeing where Piper was headed, Phoebe squeezed Piper's hand and interrupted her.

"I get it Piper, I do. I never know how to deal with this day either..." Phoebe looked down at the lifeless Paige. "...I usually talk to Paige."

Piper looked at Phoebe in suprise, her forehead furrowed in confusion.

"I never knew you and Paige..."

"Yeah," Phoebe confirmed. "I think...I think Paige misses Prue as much as we do." Taking in Piper's confused look, Phoebe continued. "I just, I think she missed the person Prue was supposed to be for her, and never got to. We got 23 years with Prue...Paige didn't get anything."

Piper sat silently, staring at her pale little sister. Why had Paige never told her? Why had she never realized Paige was in almost as much pain as her?

"Paige came with me last year, to the cemetary."

"She did?"

Phoebe nodded. "I think she goes back there sometimes...I went once a few months ago to talk to Prue, and Paige was there. She never said anything to me about it..." Phoebe trailed off as she saw a figure appear in the door.

Piper looked up at Phoebe and followed her gaze to find Ava standing sullenly in the doorway. Both girls stood up abruptly as Ava moved towards them.

"Did you get the results?"

Ava hesitated, then nodded slowly.

"Well?"

"Paige has Dengue Fever."

Piper and Phoebe remained silent as they waited for Ava to continue. Niether wanted to panic until they knew what the illness actually was.

"Generally, we don't see this disease in children over the age of 10, but if an immune system is extremely weak, the possibility of infection greatens. It's usually carried from person to person through a mosquitoe. I'm guessing for Paige, it started with a high fever and a headache. However, I wouldn't be suprised if she also experiences sore throat, cough, nausea, abdominal pain, and vomitting. It looks like the illness caused her body to go into a version of shock, which is what caused the collapse."

The three girl's stood silently for a few minutes, each waiting for the other to say something. Again, Phoebe was the one to break the silence.

"So...What does this mean? I mean, what can you do? She'll be okay, right?"

Ava looked sadly at the two sisters. She knew what difficult lives they had, which made delivering the news ever more challenging.

"Honestly, if we had caught it a few days ago, I would've said yes. But this illness, on top of her other injuries...It's not looking good."

Phoebe fell back into her chair with a thud, but Piper continued to look at Ava blankly.

"I promise you, we're doing everything we can. Now that we know what she has, we can switch her to the proper anti-biotics, which could help, but..." Ava trailed off.

Piper spoke up after a moment, her voice forced and weak. "But what?"

"But unless she shows signs of waking sometime soon, it's very unlikely she'll ever wake from the coma."

Again, the room stood silent, reminding each woman that silence was the loudest sound of all.

Ava moved awkwardly backwards. "I'll give you guys some time alone. Call me if you need anything. You have my cell number?"

Phoebe nodded absently without looking at Ava.

"Okay..." Ava turned back around to look at them at the door. "I truly am sorry. I wish there was more I could do. I..." Ava looked down, her eyes closed, then walked from the room.

As soon as she was gone, Piper turned to Phoebe.

She spoke in a voice extremely unlike her own. "Let's go."

"What?"

"Prue...Lets go see Prue."

"But you just said..."

"I know what I said, Phoebe, but you're right...Being here isn't doing anyone any good. I want to go to my sister."

With that, Piper walked out of the room. Phoebe looked in awe at the place Piper had vacated. Her sudden change in mind frightened Phoebe, but she too, thought seeing Prue would be beneficial to both. She looked at Paige again, stroking her silky dark hair, and gently placed a kiss on her forehead as she raised from the seat and left the room, leaving a dying Paige alone in her darkness.

A/N: I know it's not very clear, but it'll become more clear in the next few chapters...The day this takes place is also the anniversary of Prue's death,


	7. When In Doubt

A/N: This sucks, but I know how ridiculously long it's been since I posted so I decided to put it up. Know what else sucks? Junior year. Yeah...

But you guys don't! All of the support and reviews have been amazingly kind and overwhelming. I'm sorry to all those who have been waiting so long, and I want you to know I really am trying to keep this story going and post satisfying chapters. If there are any readers still out there, I hope you enjoy! I'll try and update again within the next few weeks. Again, thanks for everything! You guys are incredible.

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

The car lurched as Piper accelerated through through the yellow light. She heard honking behind her, but ignored it. The only thing on her mind was getting to her sister. She needed to see her sister. Her Prue.

Phoebe watched in horror as cars swerved out of the way of the large SUV. The last she has seen Piper like this was after Prue's death, when she still believed vanquishing demons would vanquish her pain. She was terrified by the girl sitting next to her. She was not her sister, not the sister she grew up with. This Piper was hard, cold even. The determintion in her eyes was enough to frighten any demon they had ever faught.

But Phoebe held her tongue. The more arguing and the more distraction, the longer it would it take to get back to Paige.

Phoebe let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding when the car jerked to a stop.

"Get out," Piper said without looking at Phoebe. She unbuckled her seatbelt and left the car, walking away before Phoebe had opened her car door.

Phoebe got out of the car and looked around. She had known where they were going all along, but actually being in the cementary made her body cry out in pain. Cemetary's had always terrified Phoebe, ever since she was a child. The idea that a person could go from being filled with life, to no longer existing, all within a minute was surreal to Phoebe. Surreal, but as brutally real as it gets. What scared Phoebe more than anything was how familiar she felt around death. Mourning was as normal to her as happiness.

She stayed a few paces behind Piper. The were inside now, where Phoebe felt more comfortable. The familiar scents greeted her nose, and left her with a bittersweet taste in her mouth.

Before she knew it, Phoebe was standing next to Piper, looking at the only thing that could make both of them feel lonely and protected at the same time.

Phoebe involuntarily wrapper her hands around Piper's cold ones, and gave it a gentle squeeze. She stood, looking between the headstone and Piper, waiting for the storm that always came after the calm. She didn't have to wait too long.

All at once, Piper's mask fell and her chest heaved as she sobbed. Her screams echoed against the hard stone walls and made the cries sound inhumane.

"FOUR YEARS!" She tore herself from Phoebe's hand an slammed on the headstone. "FOUR YEARS YOU'VE BEEN GONE! AND I STILL DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO! HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO ME!? TO US!? WE NEED YOU! I CAN'T DO IT, I CAN'T! COME BACK NOW...COME BACK!!!"

A shocked Phoebe clutched Piper and pulled her backwards. Piper clenched her swollen fists even tighter, struggling to free herself from Phoebe's grasp.

"Let me go!!" Her voice was breathy and lined with pain. "I need...to goo!! I can't do this! I can't do this anymore! And now...now...she...Prue never would have...she should be here! She...she..SHE should be here!"

Phoebe eased both of them to the ground, and held her moaning older sister as she cried quietly to herself.

"But...but where is she!?!? She should be DOING something!! She's...she's gonna die...she's gonna die...and Prue...she's going to let her." She looked up at the ceiling. "YOU'RE GOING TO LET HER!"

Phoebe pursed her lips and tried to get control over her own emotions as Piper thrust herself face down on the floor. She soothingly ran her hand over Piper's back, willing Piper to continue for her own sake and for Phoebe's. One sister was gone forever, and one sister may never return. Phoebe had convinced herself that she never let herself give up, but she knew the truth. It was her sister's that kept her going, that kept her fighting and reaching for more every single day. Without them, she was as useless as the corpses buried in the ground.

For over an hour the two girls sat, allowing themselves mourning time they never thouroughly experienced. Once Piper seemed to calm down, Phoebe pushed the hair back from behind her face, revealing her red, swollen eyes. Her voice was weaker than a whisper, but no words had needed to be spoken. They had done what they needed to do, and now they had to return.

"Come on, honey. We should go."

Piper nodded emotionlessly and allowed Phoebe to help lift her off the ground. Phoebe put her hand on Piper's back and gently began to lead her out. The sound of their heels clicking on the cold stone and the sound of Piper gasping and heaving for breath were the only noises to be heard. Piper's head remained down, but she continued forward as Phoebe gave her a tiny push out the door.

Satisfied that Piper was headed in the right direction, Phoebe looked back to where they had laid. She bit her lips and let out a quick, loud sob, feeling the warm tears rush down her cheeks once again. She stood up straighter and took a deep breath, swiping the moisture from her face.

She spoke her plea to the one she knew was listening, and looked up at the ceiling.

"Please help her."

To which "her" Phoebe was referring was unclear, but as Phoebe exited the hollow building, and the slam of the heavy door reverberated off the walls, an angelic whisper lined the air, answering her cry.

"I am."


	8. When You're Down and Lonely

I used to like darkness. Something about it was so comforting. I could be surrounded by it and feel comfort because I could feel its presence all around me. I could look into it and find all nothing – it could hide even the ugliest of things.

But right now I find myself terrified. This darkness is a whole new kind – a kind I never knew existed. It engulfed me, suffocated me, buried me under layers of despair. It was like I was fighting the harsh currents of a black ocean and losing. Like if I stopped struggling, the black would take me over and suck me in. Like if I opened my mouth for too long, the black would pour into me and forever end my existence.

I knew where I am; trapped inside my own body. I can't remember exactly what brought me here, but I know it couldn't have been good.

There were lots of noises around me earlier, but there haven't been many recently. Or maybe the noises were just surrounding me and I've only been left with the silence for a couple of moments. I'm not really sure. I have no sense of time.

I know some of the noises were voices. The voices were quiet and sounded like they'd been slowed down and stretched out. It was like I could make out the language, but was too tired to try and make out what the words meant.

I'm not going to lie, though. Just the noises were comforting. Anything to distract me from the thick darkness.

I want to walk, or move, or blink, but I realize I can't. It's only now I'm aware I don't seem to have a body. I don't have hands or feet or lips. I guess I sort of just _am_. I don't know what that means for me, but there's nothing I can do about it.

I stew in the darkness for a while longer, terrified.

And then I feel it. A warm breeze surrounds me, making me realize I have been cold this whole time. Or have I? I'm not really sure. This warmth wasn't exactly WARM if that makes any sense – it was more like a feeling…a feeling that washed through my non-existent body and made me feel safe.

I'm content with this warmth, and I think I can last a while longer in this darkness now that's its here. But before I get the chance to, I hear something. A whisper softer than the wind. I think the noises are from out of this dark place, but I hear it again, louder now, but just as gentle as before. Once the volume increases, I understand what is being said, and it takes no effort for me to do so.

"Paige."

Though I'm not sure how, I know this voice is somehow connected to the warmth I'm feeling, and have no reason to fear it.

I try to reply, "yes" but cannot speak. I'm surprised when I hear my "yes" echo through the darkness.

"Come with me."

The warmth pushes me (though I'm not sure what there is to push) and all of the sudden, I blinded by brightness.

I close my eyes tight, warding off the pain, but then slowly open them again when I realize I HAVE eyes. Still squinting, I look down. I have a body again. My body. I'm sitting on a green, grassy ground, hands in my lap, and I can feel sun shining on my neck.

I look up slowly, shielding my eyes from the light with my hands, and gasp of shock when I see a person standing before me.

I know who she is immediately. Even if I hadn't seen pictures I would have been able to identify her. She had raven hair, like mine, and icy blue eyes. She held herself tall, like she was someone important – someone strong.

We hold eye contact for some time, and then her lips curve slowly up into a light smile.

"Paige."

I swallow hard and use my hands to push myself off the ground. I am face to face with her now, and I swallow hard again. I feel something course through me – fear, maybe? – and take a step backwards.

"I'm only here to help Paige. Don't be afraid."

She moves forward slowly and takes one of my hands. I watch as she does it, disconnected, as though this is some scene in a movie.

"Do you know who I am?"

I look back into her face, then slowly nod.

"Paige, do you know what's going on?"

I think for a moment, and shake my head.

"You're unconscious right now. In a hospital." The girls face saddens a little. "In a coma."

I blink. Well, that makes sense.

"What," I stop speaking, surprised by my own voice, but then muster up the courage and continue. "What am I doing here?" I use the hand that she isn't holding to motion to what I've come to see is a park.

"Like I said – I'm here to help you."

I blink. "Help me do what?"

Again, I notice a change in her face. I can't make out what emotion it is she's feeling, but she speaks and I stop trying to.

"Get back to our sisters."

And then I remember – the fight, the stairs…Piper.

I turn away, grabbing my hand from her gentle hold and crossing my arms on my chest.

I hear her sigh and then feel her hand on my shoulder.

"I know you're hurting, Paige. I know what happened. But they love you. And I know you don't want to…..die..right now..so..please. Let me help you."

I turn back and face her. I purse my lips and feel the need to stick out my hand.

"It's nice to finally meet you."

She looks at my outreached hand like I'm insane, and then laughs softly. Before I realize what's happening, I find myself surrounded by warm, strong arms.

"It's really nice to meet you too, Paige."

I don't hug back at first. I'm confused and scared and happy and intimidated. Emotions are coursing through me like fire and before I know it, tears are pouring down my cheeks.

"Hey…." She says gently, and begins rubbing my back. "Hey, shhhhh, it's okay. It's okay."

I sniff and pull back, wiping my face off quickly. I manage a tight smile.

"Paige….I know you don't really know me. But…I know you. Sort of, anyway. I watch you guys, you know? And…I'm sorry I've never gotten to meet you before." She pauses. "You've done really great, Paige. I'm proud of you."

With those words, I'm unable to hold back the tears and they come pouring out of my eyes. I sob surprisingly loud, and she pulls me back into her arms, murmuring soft, sweet words. I lean into her and rest my head on her shoulder, allowing myself to feel comfort in the arms of the older sister I'd never gotten the chance to know.


	9. When People Are Sad

"Come on"

Phoebe's voice is soft and soothing as she ushers a silent, stone-faced Piper further into the hospital room. She'd been this way since they got back in the car. Phoebe had returned to the SUV to see Piper was at least coherent enough to realize she belonged in the passenger seat, so Phoebe took driver's and brought them back to the place both dreaded and longed returning to.

Piper took one step from the door way - one step closer to Paige - then retreated, backing out of the frame and into the hospital halls.

"Piper..." But Piper just shook her head. "The boys," she responded huskily, her eyes glued on Paige. "I just...I'll come back soon." Phoebe didn't respond to this, and Piper tore her eyes away from Paige to look at her once-upon-a-time only baby sister. "I promise," she added, to which Phoebe nodded.

At this, Piper glanced once more at her baby sister, then turned on her heel and walked straight towards the exit. She didn't know exactly what her plan was. She hadn't been lying - she sought the comfort and feeling of love and warmth she knew her boys could provide her with unconditionally. But if she wanted to see them, she'd have to give Leo some sort of update, and she didn't have the strength for that.

Piper let her feet lead her out of the hospital, not far from it, to a bench. She sat, wide eyed, seeing nothing in front of her and staring as though she herself was the one in the coma - unable to speak or move. She sat, and sat. Seconds ticked by like hours as she felt the weight of the world weigh down on her. The day of Prue's death. The **day** of Prue's death. What kind of sick irony was this. On the day her entire hold on life had been ripped cruelly from under her feet, she now had to deal with the entirely real possibility she could be losing another great part of her life as well.

Phoebe's eyes followed Piper as she left the room. She didn't know where her sister was going and she was worried where she may find herself, but Phoebe also knew there was nothing she could do. When Piper needed time, nothing else would suffice. And looking back down at her baby sister, Phoebe was forced to acknowledge that she had no control over time anyway.

"Oh...Paigey," Phoebe breathed out, settling herself in to the seat Piper had resided in just hours ago. "How'd this happen?" she wondered aloud, taking her sister's cold hand in her own and rubbing it absently. "Why wouldn't you say something? God...you had to be sick for...days...Paige...what were you thinking?" she said, her voice more harsh than even she'd expected. She wasn't angry at her sister...anger wasn't the right way to describe what she felt. For as much as she wanted to scream and yell at Paige for not coming to talk to her, she couldn't understand why _she _herself hadn't noticed something was seriously wrong. Phoebe closed her eyes and tried to replay the past week in her mind - tried to find in her interactions with Paige something that screamed out of the ordinary. But aside from acting worn out, which seemed pretty normal of Paige these days, nothing, other than the orbing incident today, rang any bells. Phoebe groaned in frustration and opened her eyes again, looking down at her little sister. "What were you thinking?" she repeated, the question, quite possibly unintentionally, posed to herself this time. And it was with only herself that she was left to think over the answer to the unanswerable.

Paige laid, her legs sprawled lazily before her, head in the lap of a sister she had never known in real life. They'd sat silently for some amount of time - it felt both long and short...but time had no meaning or use to Paige right now. The tears had dried and she was surprised to find herself feeling oddly rejuvenated as opposed to worn.

"Paige?"

"Mm?" came her wordless response. Prue ran her fingers through her sister's dark mane, studying the carefree expression on her sister's young face.

"Paige," Prue said again, stating her name more forcefully than before.

"What?" Paige responded impatiently. Prue couldn't help but hold back a slight smile. The two girl's barely knew eachother - and Paige certainly had no reason to trust the elder sister - but both felt an unexplainable ease in each other's company. And her quippy response made Prue feel a chilling sense of familiarity, as though that unimportant "what," had been hissed at her many times before...though she knew, from Paige, it had not.

"Are you ready to talk now?"

Paige considered. "Can't we just stay like this?"

Prue smiled again, then stopped playing with Paige's hair and pushed her up gently. Paige let herself be pushed to the sitting position, then leaned on her arm and turned her body to face Prue, a look of frustration written clearly on the young girl's face. "I don't want to talk. There's nothing to say."

"That's not true."

"Yes it is," Paige sighed out in exasperation, turning her face away from Prue and rolling her eyes. "You say you've been watching...so you know how everything's gone down. What else is there left to talk about?"

"Your feelings."

Paige turned back around and glared at Prue. "You're kidding, right? You're not kidding," she concluded, noting the look on Prue's face. "Well...you obviously haven't been watching close enough because feeling talks..." Paige said as she pulled herself into a standing position, turning to look down at Prue as she crossed her arms over her chest, "Feeling talks I don't do."

Prue shook her head, standing up and crossing her own arms over her chest to mirror Paige's position, refusing to allow the younger girl to tower over her. "Must really suck to be you right now, then," she quipped, smirking straight in sister's face.

Paige rolled her eyes and turned from Prue, walking away. Prue laughed, not moving from her spot. "Where are you going Paige? This is my territory - there's no where to go."

Paige grunted in response, not turning around or stopping walking, refusing to acknowledge Prue's comment. She walked forth, past trees and little, bright blue pools of water, sitting down only when she felt she'd been walking miles. She sat next to a pond, looking around as she pulled her legs crosslegged on the soft grass. "Ready now?" came a voice right next to her. She jolted and looked at Prue incredulously.

"I told you Paige," Prue sighed, sitting down next to her sister and letting her bare feet hang into the water in front of them. Prue's satisfied smile faded as she looked seriously at Paige, who continued to stare in front of her with a childish look of dissatisfaction on her face. "Look, we could do this all day, but...Paige...Paige!" she said more urgently, grabbing her sisters hand to try and get her to look at her. Paige begrudgingly obliged and turned to look at Prue. "Paige...you're running out of time. Do you get what that means?"

"I'm younger than you Prue, not dumber."

"Fine...then why are you wasting it?"

Paige rolled her eyes again. "I told you, I have nothing to say. What does that have to do with me being in the hospital anyway? You still haven't said anything about what I need to do to get back to m...Phoebe and Piper," she said, their names falling softly off her lips.

"Paige? Do you think I'm asking to talk just to bother you?"

Paige scoffed. "Well I don't see how the two relate."

"Can you just trust me? Please?" Prue looked into her sisters eyes when they found each other, silently pleading with the young girl to open up.

Paige looked away again and down into the water, breathing heavily as she shook her head. "This is dumb. Whose to say I want to go back anyway." Paige startled when she felt a sharp slap to her thigh, looking up at Prue bewildered. "HEY! What the hell Prue?"

"Never say that again Paige. I know you didn't mean it but sometimes you can't take things like those back and you have no idea what kind of consequences they may be met with."

"And how do you know I didn't mean it?" Paige challenged back, sounding a lot more sure of herself than she was feeling.

Prue's look softened as she placed her hand lightly over the place she had just hit Paige. "Because I know you. At least...I think you do. And no matter what's going on in that head of yours...you wouldn't do that to our sisters. You couldn't bear to be the cause of that much pain." Paige considered for a moment, then looked away, her chin resting on the shoulder opposite Prue. "I think you're overestimating that pain a little."

"I'm not," Prue retorted before Paige's words were even finished. She said it with such certainty Paige was forced to turn to look in Prue's eyes - looking for the truth in them there as well.

"I'm not an idiot, okay. I know..I know they love me. Just...just not as much as each other...or you," she said, her voice trailing off weakly at the last end, unable to look at Prue anymore.

"I know you think that, Paige. And...I think our sister's think you think that, too. But...what we need to do...right now," she said, emphasizing the last two words as she took both of Paige's hands in her own, "is get you to heal. Make you see that the truth you believe in so fully may not be truth after all."

The silence hung between them thickly, until Paige turned to Prue with pain radiating in her eyes. "And what if it is. What if I'm not wrong at all?"

Prue sighed and squeezed Paige's hands more tightly. "Then you'll have proved me wrong," she responded, forcing a smug smile on her face. "And that's a pretty big feat in itself."


	10. When Good Women Fall

_A/N: All right guys. Bear with me here. I hope it goes without saying that I feel very badly about how long these updates take...as a reader I understand how frustrating it is. But I'm trying to ease back into it. I'm struggling to remember exactly the path this story was taking so I'm just going day by day for now. I'll try hard to get you updates soon. Anyway, thank you for the wonderful support. I hope some of you are still out there and interested! Now on with the story...I've kept you waiting long enough!_ ;)

Piper's mind rang with a million thoughts. The numbness she longed for eluded her and if only to stop the endless questions from swarming through her mind, she was forced into action. She couldn't sit here any longer – so close to her sister's side but still separated. Wasn't the whole reason Paige was there to begin with because of Piper's past neglect? Piper shook her head to shake the thought away. Those were exactly the thoughts she wanted to run from…because they held too much truth.

Piper stood on stiff legs, wavering for a second as if she'd forgotten how to use her body. Then she slowly walked back into the hospital.

As she walked through the cold, sterile white building, she felt doubt nagging at the back of her brain again. Was this the right thing to do? Sit by Paige's side rather than do something productive to try and bring their sister back to them? Piper squeezed her eyes shut slightly, stopping her movement for only a moment as she again forced the thoughts back to the deeper crevices of her mind.

No – all she had to do was make it to the room. Be with her sisters. That was always the key, wasn't it? Them being together. It hadn't taken long for the first Charmed ones to learn that lesson, and the same held true this time around. Phoebe would have an answer. Some answer. Something more than Piper had. Wouldn't she? Would she? As Piper walked rigidly towards the ICU, she thought of the irony of what she had just thought and had the situation not been what it was, she may have smiled. Phoebe having the answers. Prue would've had a field day with that one. There it was again. Prue. Prue, who was always so sure and strong. She was the leader. Phoebe was the baby, and Piper was in the middle. Always in the middle. Where she liked it. Where she was good at it. Where she felt like she could at least do _something _right.

'_Prue never would have let this happen,_' screamed the voice in her head.

This thought she couldn't force away. Piper was a bad older sister. A bad leader of the Charmed Ones. She had failed.

No sooner had this thought crossed her mind then she found herself at the door to Paige's room. It was open and the sight in front of her broke her heart all over again. Phoebe looked absolutely devastated, leaning gently against Paige's bedside, one hand holding Paige's while the other ran softly through her hair. Her eyes were red and puffy and she looked as defeated as she'd ever seen her little sister.

As if feeling Piper's presence, Phoebe looked up and right into Piper's eyes.

Piper was the big sister, whether she liked it or not, and she couldn't handle the thought of failing both of her younger siblings so much in one day. She could be strong for Phoebe. She had to be.

Standing straighter now, Piper walked up to Phoebe, who hadn't taken her eyes off of her. She bent down silently so she was kneeling before Phoebe's chair, and reached out her arms to hug her sister.

Immediately, Phoebe's whole body collapsed into Piper, sobs wracking her small frame as the emotions of the day came tumbling in. Piper could only rub her sister's back. There were no comforting words to be mumbled right now.

As Phoebe's sobs turned to more gentle cries, she spoke. "Piper, thank god you came back."

Piper bit the inside of her cheeks for a moment to keep from cringing. She'd already let Phoebe down so much today.

She squeezed her harder. "I'm sorry. I just…"

The one second Piper took to collect her thoughts, Phoebe used to stop her, shaking her head forcefully against Piper's shoulder. "It's okay, I understand Piper. I'm just happy you're here now. I was worried."

Phoebe sucked in a shaky breath, and pulled back to look Piper in the eyes. "Piper, what are we going to do?" she whispered.

Piper sighed softly and raised herself from the ground. She walked around the bed to where her chair sat vacant. She let herself fall into the seat as she stared blankly at her baby sister. She looked no better but she looked no worse. She longed to reach out and touch her, but she couldn't bring herself to. She didn't want to hurt her more than she already had.

Remembering Phoebe had asked a question, rhetorical or not, Piper forced herself to speak. "Let's think about all our options here."

Phoebe nodded emphatically, grateful for both her sister's renewed strength and something to do to distract her, if even for a moment.

"We could reverse time?" Phoebe said shakily, her eyes falling back to look at the battered Paige.

"Too much could go wrong. Time travels so tricky and with what we've been feeling today…I doubt we could even hit the right decade right now."

Phoebe nodded. "The awakening spell?" But she knew the answer. They couldn't risk that type of personal gain. "Our own spell?" she offered, but again, Piper remained silent.

"Write a spell to take us Up There and give them a piece of our minds?"

She was hoping this would at least soften the pained look on Piper's face, but instead, she watched as the lines on Piper's forehead furrowed further. "Why haven't they come Phoebe? They have to know what's going on." She looked up at Phoebe for a moment as she realized the answer to her own question. "They're not going to heal her no matter what we say. We've played this game with them before. And I'm sick of them. I hate them. I want nothing more to do with them. Ever. If they aren't going to help us keep our sister, that's it." And with that, Piper let her eyes fall back to Paige.

Phoebe sat back in her chair, racking her brain for anything that could help them. They sat in silence for a good 10 minutes before Piper's shaky voice broke through her reverie.

"Phoebe? Phoebe do you…"

Piper swallowed hard as the lump in her throat made it hard to speak. Phoebe sat wide eyed, staring at her sister. She hadn't heard Piper use that tone of voice since she had been middle sister. She urged Piper to go on with her gaze, and feeling it, Piper tore her eyes from Paige's form and looked right into Phoebe's.

"Do you think she could ever forgive me for being such a bad big sister?"

The sheer vulnerability in Piper's voice made Phoebe eyes welled up all over again as her heart ached even more for her now oldest sister. "Oh Piper," she breathed, standing and moving her own chair around the bed to be next to Piper. She wrapped an arm around her sister's shoulder and forced her head to rest on her shoulder.

"Paige would never think that."

"But it's true," Piper said with certainty, as she pulled herself up from Phoebe's hold. In response, Phoebe angled her body more towards Piper and took her hands in hers.

"Honey, we all make mistakes. Clearly both of us messed up here. But Paige loves you. She doesn't think you're a bad sister."

Phoebe's voice was so calming and sure, Piper wanted to believe what she was saying. But she just couldn't. She had been a big sister to Phoebe all her life. She knew how to do it. But there was no question in her mind now that she had messed up with Paige, perhaps irrevocably. She had been thrown into big sisterhood without a minutes notice. Took on a role she hadn't been prepared for at all. It was like becoming a witch, except in that role she had had two sisters in the exact same position as her. This time, she was flying solo. She was the leader of the Charmed ones. It happened too damn fast! Even in becoming a parent there had been some sort of a transition. Some time to get prepared and learn to understand your new role.

Then out of nowhere, an idea shot like lightening through her mind. She looked up at Phoebe, her eyes wide and clear, and Phoebe was slightly taken aback by her sister's sudden change. Until she spoke.

"Wyatt."


	11. When a Man Loves a Woman

_Hi guys. Here's another update to give you a little something so you don't think I've run off again. I've been working hard on this story - I had a good run at writing a few nights ago - but most of the chapters I've worked on are for a little later in the story. I'm having a bit of trouble with this middle bit so stick with me. Any guesses for where Paige and Prue end up? Enjoy, and thanks to all my wonderful readers and reviewers :)_

Phoebe eyed Piper carefully. Her expression was steadfast but something about her still screamed vulnerability. "Wyatt? Heal her?"

Piper nodded and looked back down at Paige. Phoebe watched as her sister struggled with some inner battle, before lifting her hand and gently brushing Paige's still one with the back of her own. "It could work."

"But…Piper…how? This isn't demonic…as far as we know." Phoebe further scrutinized Piper's expression, trying to be sure she knew as much as Piper. Was Piper thinking this was something unnatural now?

"I know," Piper said slowly. "But he isn't technically a white lighter, is he. He never signed his life away to protect and uphold the Elder's rules. It could work."

Phoebe sighed and thought through the possibilities in her head. She tried weighing the options, but ultimately, what choice did they have? If Piper had decided it was okay for her son to do, of course Phoebe would be for it. It could mean saving Paige.

"You're sure about this?"

Phoebe watched as Piper looked down at Paige, an unreadable expression flashing across her face, disappearing almost as quickly as it had appeared. "Yes. Now we just have to convince Leo."

"What is it I have to do again?"

Prue looked at her little sister and groaned in frustration. "Paige if you keep asking it's never going to happen."

Paige shrugged and Prue realized that probably was not the best form of encouragement for the younger girl right now. She stopped walking through the endless meadow and turned Paige to look at her.

Paige looked at her sister with a look of exasperation on her face and Prue couldn't help but snort. "Look, for the last time, you need to let go. Once you clear your mind and your conscience, we'll be able to get where we need to go."

"Which you still won't tell me where that is, by the way."

"Because, Paige, that's not the point," Prue said through clenched teeth, trying not to get too annoyed. "It's not about where we're going…it's about getting you to a place where nothing else can reach you. I can't get there for you, you have to do it."

Paige rolled her eyes and pulled away from Prue. "I think you've been spending too much tea time with the Elders, Prue. This cryptic crap sounds just like them."

Prue shook her head and lightly pushed Paige to the ground in a sitting position. "I swear I'm not trying to be cryptic. You need to get to your center. Sort of like you would if you were meditating, but…deeper, if that makes sense. I can't help you any more than that, just sit Paige. Sit and clear your head." Prue's voice got less instructional and when she spoke again, it was soft and encouraging. "Come on, I'll be with you the whole time, I promise. Close your eyes."

Paige squinted at Prue in frustration, but Prue squinted right back. Paige sighed and did as she was told. She heard Prue sit down in front of her and felt Prue reach for her hands. She placed them in her own over Paige's crossed legs. "Just breath in, and out. Let it all go. You have nothing you need to hold onto here. You have nothing to be afraid of."

Despite herself, Paige did allow Prue's voice and presence to calm her, and focused her thoughts on her breathing. In, out. In, out. In, out. She sat this way for some time until her breathing became naturally deep and her mind blank. Eventually, she let out a heavy sigh and pulled her hands back from Prue's. "It's not wor-" Paige opened her eyes and looked around. Prue, who had been looking around as well, smiled at her proudly. "Well, okay then," Paige breathed out.

"No."

"Leo, would you just think about it for a SECOND."

"No, Piper, I don't think it's a good idea and I'm not going to let you do it."

"Oh, you wanna bet?" Piper snarled back, beginning to raise her hands. Phoebe gently lowered them back to Piper's sides and looked at Leo apologetically.

"Leo, please just consider it," Phoebe tried. "This may be our only chance to do something. We can't wait till it's too late. It could already be too late for all we know."

Leo ran his hand over his face, looking at the exhausted girls before him. "Phoebe, don't you see that's exactly the problem. It could be too late. And do you two really want your nephew, your son," he looked pointedly at them each, though Piper looked away gruffly. "To walk around the rest of his life with the guilt of knowing he couldn't heal his dying Aunt? If the Elder's thought healing would work, they would be down here doing it themselves."

"That's bull and you know it," Piper snapped, glaring at Leo once more.

"Look, Leo, of course we understand that. You know Piper's first priority is always the boys. But…if we don't try this, if Paige does…die…don't you think Wyatt will feel that too? He's a smart boy Leo. Maybe he won't feel guilty today or tomorrow or even five years from now, but one day when he's older and he realizes there may have been something he could do, it will weigh on him. It will. Because he's a Halliwell and we do whatever it takes to protect our family."

They held a steady gaze between them for a moment, then Leo shook his head and looked at Piper who still refused to meet his eyes. Phoebe was twisting his words and now he was confused. He looked up as he tried to think, tried to understand this situation.

He looked down when he felt a soft body lean into him, but knew immediately it was Piper and let out a sigh, wrapping his arms around her and holding her tight. Leo felt the weight of Piper's body as she leaned heavily in his arms, and Leo was concerned for a moment that she was passing out. But then she spoke, so quietly he had to strain to hear her over the whirring of all the noises of the machines.

"Please Leo. We have to try everything. I can't lose anyone else."

Leo looked up at Phoebe, who had an almost smug look on her face. She knew before he did that he had given in. He leaned his chin on Piper's head, breathing in her scent. "Okay," he said softly, looking at Phoebe again. "We'll try it."


End file.
